RKayne's Blog

Showing off a bit :D
Nov 28, 2008 | 3:23 PM PST
Tags: Garlic , white , snapdragon , coffee , lavender , Japanese Elm , japanese maple , purple
There will be rather a few posts, but this is a great teaser, lol. So, since we got the camera it has been hectic here (we hosted Thanksgiving). But, I did manage to get a few pics of some things around here. That is the view out to our balcony. The must have, hunted for one because I can't give up my bonsai!



This is a Southern Magnolia. Seems pretty happy here in Seattle! This was sent to me by YardGranny in SC. I potted it up a while back and it has loved the weather here, frankly it surprises me as it has gotten rather cold here.


Here is the White Snapdragon. I don't grow flowers normally but this one has it's place here. Shannon fell in love with it so I will do all I can to keep it alive. It has grown on me since it flowers when it gets cold. How random is that! I guess I will have to do some research on this bugger so I know it's habits and whatnot :D


YardGranny also sent me two Mimosa's, they were happy but just to make sure, since they are babies, I have done what I normally do for my coffee tree at work (the one I am bonsai'ing) and placed their very own mini greenhouses over them. These will stay on until the last possible frost. There are a lot of mimosa here, not this color...but they seem happy to live here. I figure once they get older, perhaps next winter, they will not require this (and I will get a Bay tree to do this for instead, hehe).


I had these at the house and took them with me (note...MINE!). There is a Purple Sage, a standard Silver Sage, some Garlic Chives (thanks again Poe!) grew from seed from Ohio and a Mother of Thyme. It is so nice having fresh Thyme at any time. Yes...I had to do that ;)


And one last shot for now, the Japanese Elm with a few leaves left, my favorite Japanese Maple (about 7 years old) and some Provencal Lavendar. Shannon is a freak for Lavendar so I think this will get a bigger pot come spring so it can go wild!

Japanese Maple, bonsai potting.
Jul 12, 2007 | 8:31 AM PST
Tags: bonsai , japanese maple , repotting , bonsai tools , root hormone powder

Well, here I am in my new home! It was a quick operation for which I was grateful. I don't like being out of a pot long and this, well, it made me feel a little naked! First I got taken out of the pot and almost all my roots exposed (see me blushing!)...

Then they got CUT OFF..even my tap root...that was weird! I got root hormone powder on them to help them heal and grow again. There is not much room in my new pot but I don't mind, the Elm and Cotoneaster tell me it will just be 'Cozy'.

Then I got put in my pot and got some new soil (YAAY!) and a trim and some wire, it has been years since I got wired, this was a little one compared to what I have had done in the past!

One little coil was all I needed, I had a 'wild branch' that wanted to go one way and we wanted it to go the other way! This is 16 ga. copper.

And here I am wired, before being bent...

And here I am, done...I really like it in this pot, but I was told I can have a pot just like this one that will be more plain (I like the grapes design...but my gardener thinks they are hideous!).

Some people think you need REALLY expensive tools to do this with, but not really. You just have to have a few basic tools. My gardener uses these, predominately. A simple pair of hair cutting scissors (gets in nice to trim close in small areas), a pair of flat wire nips (no sharp edges), a pair of needlenose pliers and a ring winder like the one you saw above. Simple, and found at any decent craft store at minimal cost. That way you have more cash to play with for pots...soil...trees....LOL!

Japanese Maple, bonsai potting.
Jun 27, 2007 | 2:19 PM PST
Tags: Japanese Maple , Japanese Elm , Orange Tree , Bonsai

Well, while my brethren beside me, Orange and Japanese Elm, have their own things going this weekend, I get to do something VERY exciting!!! I Get potted! I get to have my very own bonsai pot.  I have waited over 3 years for this to happen and now I get to have it!! YAAAY! I have been very compliant and a happy grower this whole time thinking 'pick me! pick me!' and now is my time.  For the last year I have felt like a bonsai, I have looked like a bonsai...down to making sure I have a nice, natural mossy ground cover, but there was the 'pot thing'.  I will make sure they get pictures for I am very happy I get my pot!!! After I get potted I will be getting a trim, but not to downplay Japanese Elm, it is nothing like that...just a few clips here and there!

 

 

 

Bonsai Update.
Jun 12, 2007 | 3:34 PM PST
Tags: Japanese Maple , Wisteria , Bonsai , Strawberries

So, tis the season for Bonsai to look great! Decided to have an update on how they are doing.

Needs a trim, hehe...

One of the Wisterias...

One of my Favorite Japanese Maples (almost 4 yrs old)

Babies...and strawberries that are going in the ground tonight!

Our new house
Apr 4, 2007 | 4:29 PM PST
Tags: tomato , juniper , rhododendron , vegetable , garden , bonsai , landscape , japanese maple , yard , plant , sun
So it may be a rental, but it does have a garden area. Looks like we have decided to take the more expensive place, but we will have room to vegetable garden and I will have plenty of space to keep my Bonsai's. The only real downfall of the 'mature landscaping' is it has massive junipers and rhododendrons. Not particularly my favorite, and I will not have much option on how the yard looks...it does have two fireplaces and a great kitchen ( I GET GAS!!!) I do like the setup, but really REALLY wish it had a master bathroom. The boys will HAVE to use the downstairs bathroom because we are NOT going to have to clean the bathroom every five minutes in case someone drops by ;) Good news is the side of the house that has the veggy patch is in FULL sun, so I may be one of the only people who has ever had success with tomatoes in the Seattle area! If we get this house, I will so be taking pictures! Maybe I will be able to talk them into letting me plant one of my Japanese Maple Bonsai's...set it FREE, it would be such a boon to a yard as 'simple' as this one is, at this time.

Japanese Maples
Apr 4, 2007 | 4:05 PM PST
Tags: bonsai , tree , japanese maple , cutting , repotting , Seattle

I have a couple Japanese Maples set aside for MamabearBSA and Mainegal because they cost SO much away from here (Seattle area) that are 3 years old. They will be getting a couple baby maples as well, but I wanted to make sure they get to take something back with them that is established and there is nothing more beautiful than a Japanese Maple Bonsai! I will take pictures of them soon, as well and update...at the very least they will be able to see the tree's that are going home with them! I have some before and after pics so they get to see how drastic a cutting the tree's will take as I have been informed by them both that they are concerned about how tough they are. I will put it this way, they are 3 years old, and I am just NOW going to repot them! A bonsai, as average, will be repotted at least once a year, but Japanese Maples THRIVE on neglect! So, on that note, here are some of my Japanese Maples at three years old. I have before and after pictures with the winter growth and then their 'spring/summer coat' :D So now is where i get to tease Mamabear and Mainegal....as these are some of My personal babies, hehe...

Before :

After :